The accuracy, lifetime, and mission effectiveness of a spacecraft is affected adversely by any degradation of sensitive spacecraft surfaces. With a trend towards more sophisticated and complex spacecraft systems capable of performing multimissions over longer time periods, there is increasing concern about the effects of plume contamination. Analytical tools in concert with a good data base are necessary to predict the transport of plume contaminants and their effects on spacecraft surfaces. This paper describes an assessment of bipropel-lant thrusters, the production and transport of plume contaminants from these thrusters and the use of the JPL Contamination Analysis Program to assess the effects of plume contamination on the Galileo spacecraft.

Date Published: 5 August 1980
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 0216, Optics in Adverse Environments II, (5 August 1980); doi: 10.1117/12.958448

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0216:
Optics in Adverse Environments II
Mark A. Kahan, Editor(s)